How to Make Xocolatl - Spicy Aztec Hot Chocolate

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook on low heat for five to ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

How Can Xocolatl - Spicy Aztec Hot Chocolate Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

The cacao plant family "Theobroma" translates to "food of the Gods," suggesting the mysterious and divine qualities of chocolate. Chocolate was a symbol of life and fertility throughout pre-colonial Mesoamerica. Xocolatl was a luxurious and traditional Aztec drink which was used in religious ceremonies by priests and noblemen in ancient Aztec civilizations. Unlike modern hot chocolate, which is creamy and sugary, Xocolatl has a strongly medicinal bitter taste and actually means "bitter drink." Because of its stimulating and bitter qualities, this drink can be healing for heavy Kapha types but may be too invigorating for deficient Vata and too hot for fiery Pitta types. Chocolate is rajasic in nature and should therefore only be consumed in moderation by all doshas.

WHY SHOULD YOU EAT AYURVEDICALLY?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is
tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with
at any given time. Foods that supplement your specific body type’s needs and digest
easily create your menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you
are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive
tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you
experience optimal health.

Is Xocolatl - Spicy Aztec Hot Chocolate Good for Me?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz.
You'll learn your body type, and whether Xocolatl - Spicy Aztec Hot Chocolate is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

INCREASES

Increases These Qualities (Gunas)

Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main states
(gunas).
Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance.
By knowing which states are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick.
Every state has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold).
You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite state.

ABOUT CLEAR GUNA

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food.
Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body.
Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food.
Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods.
Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion.
Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste.
One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes.
The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent.
Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

ABOUT ASTRINGENT GUNA

The Three Doshas / Body Types

People tend to get sick, over and over again, due to similar causes and habitual imbalances that are unique to the person.
Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness.
Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency.
Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses.
The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history.

The 3 functional body types
(doshas),
are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).
Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy.
Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy.
Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass.
Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry.
Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed.
Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion.

PRANA

Prana is the Sanskrit word for vital life energy, similar to Qi in Chinese Medicine. Many herbs stimulate your energy, or improve the flow of prana through your body. Generally, prana needs to be increased in spring after a sleepy winter.

Are you struggling with your health?

How to Use Food Ayurvedically

HOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when
right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in
Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire
reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once
you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.

John's interest in Ayurveda and digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, including his public service work in South Asia.
John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion.
John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing.
In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.

John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots,
and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church.
Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick.
That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well.

I really enjoy this recipe. As a Kapha it gets me going in the morning. Question, Ayurvedic notes state: Chocolate is rajasic in nature and should therefore only be consumed in moderation by all doshas. I make half the recipe above and use unsweetened organic coconut milk. Is 1 cup a day considered "in moderation" for my type?

Vicki - it's hard to make a specific recommendation for you without a consultation. But, you can always listen to your body to determine if you are consuming this drink in moderation. Rajasic foods stimulate movement and sometimes anxiety, so moderate consumption of these foods for most people is advisable. You can read more about rajasic foods here: https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/herbal-action/Rajasic

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What is Ayurveda?

Learn about Ayurveda from the author of this article and founder of Joyful Belly,
John Immel.

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